Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome have they eyes on an NCAA tournament title run. (Getty Images)
Jack Gohlke and DJ Burns weren’t household names at the start of March Madness last year. By the time the tournament reached peak interest, Gohlke and Burns became major headlines.
Gohlke starred in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA men’s tournament, spearheading tiny Oakland University to an upset victory over Kentucky. Gohlke finished the game with 32 points, making 10 3-pointers. Burns’ tournament celebrity status lasted two weeks as he powered North Carolina State to its first Final Four appearance since Jim Valvano’s Cinderella run in 1983. Burns’ big moment came in the Elite Eight when he scored 29 points to knock off ACC rival Duke.
Who will be this year’s Gohlke and Burns? A closer look at new potential March Madness heroes. OMFB picked eight players who could be major difference-makers in the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. These are not necessarily the best pro prospects — although Flagg and Queen are high on most experts’ mock drafts — but they may deliver the shining moments in this year’s Big Dance.
Cooper Flagg
Duke’s NCAA championship hopes hinge on Flagg’s ankles. He’s only got one healthy ankle entering the tournament, and that may be good enough. The Blue Devils have a good roster, but they have a great roster with Flagg in the lineup. Flagg was the engine that drove Duke to the No. 1 seed in the East Region. He finished the regular season leading the team in points (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), blocks (1.3) and steals (1.5). There is no one on Duke’s roster who can provide that same type of productivity.
Johni Broome
Three years ago, Auburn was ranked No. 1 and was among the favorites to win the NCAA title. Bruce Pearl’s squad was then led by a fabulous freshman, Jabari Smith Jr., who was selected third overall in the 2022 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. Pearl and the Tigers enter the field of 68 in 2025 with another big-time forward, Johni Broome. Broome was the SEC player of the year and led the conference in rebounds (10.6) and blocks (2.3).
Walter Clayton Jr.
The Florida Gators are among the favorites to cut down the nets in San Antonio. The SEC tournament champions have the talent and depth to make a deep tourney run. They have a top-10 offense and top-10 defense. It all starts at the point with Walter Clayton Jr. When he’s rolling, there is no team in the West Region that can keep up with the Gators. Clayton led Florida in scoring (17.4) while shooting 38% from the 3-point line.
Derik Queen
Queen is the reigning Big Ten freshman of the year and a key member of Maryland’s “Crab Five,” which might be the coolest nickname in college basketball. Queen nearly averaged a double-double (15.7 points, 9.2 rebounds) during the regular season. He and senior Julian Reese form one of the best frontcourt duos in the nation. This might be Queen’s only tourney appearance as he’s expected to go high in the NBA draft.
L.J. Cryer
The 23-year-old fifth-year senior certainly has loads of experience. He was a member of Baylor’s 2021 national championship team and started 37 games last season for the Houston Cougars. He came back for his super senior season (thanks to the COVID eligibility rule) with hopes of helping coach Kelvin Sampson reach the Final Four. The Cougars have a balanced offense and a rugged defense. Cryer, who averaged a team-leading 15.2 points while shooting 42.2% from the 3-point line, is the head of the snake on both ends.
RJ Luis Jr.
Hall of Famer Rick Pitino became the first coach to take six schools to the NCAA tournament after helping St. John’s punch their first ticket to the Big Dance since 2019. The 2025 Red Storm is not the typical Pitino squad. They rely mostly on their defense and rebounding, and the individual brilliance of versatile forward RJ Luis Jr. In the Big East title game in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden, Luis Jr. made 14 straight shots from the field in the second half to beat Creighton.
Braden Smith
Point guard Braden Smith had some massive shoes to fill this year after the departure of two-time NCAA player of the year Zach Edey. Smith didn’t dominate the Big Ten like Edey did a year ago, but he did manage to lead Purdue back to the NCAA tournament. Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn formed a potent 1-2 punch for Matt Painter’s Boilermakers. Smith is one of the steadiest guards in the country, averaging 16.3 points and 8.8 assists while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range.
Jase Richardson
The last time Michigan State won a national championship, Jase Richardson’s dad, Jason Richardson, played for coach Tom Izzo. Jase may not be the slam dunk prowess of his NBA dad, but what he brings to the table is shooting. Izzo has a well-balanced squad that had just two players average over 10 points per game. Jase Richardson was second on the team in points (11.6) and second in 3-point percentage (38.8%). If Jase gets hot, Izzo and the Spartans might make a Final Four trip.